Many historical trails run throughout the United States, giving hikers a brief glimpse at history and a thorough immersion into nature. But one man is using a historical trail to bring attention to another cause. Clay Chapman is hiking the American Discovery Trail to raise awareness for breast cancer.
"I can be rather flippant about how many miles because it feels like I've been doing it all my life now," the 30-year-old told KCRA 3. Chapman has been hiking daily for almost a year, so long that he has grown an impressive beard. "Oh, don't worry, this beard is coming off soon," he told the news station. He began his journey in Delaware, taking the northern route of the American Discovery Trail, which will end at Point Reyes National Seashore near San Francisco, California. Currently, Chapman is hiking the final portion of the trail. "I thought, if I'm going to be doing something as grand as that, I want to be able to do a little good with it," he said.
Chapman lost both his parents to cancer, making this endeavor deeply personal. "My mother passed away from breast cancer ten years ago, so this hike is very much a way to honor her," he said.
The American Discovery Trail traverses the center of the U.S., beginning in Delaware and ending in California. While the trail has one beginning and one ending point, the middle offers two separate routes. Both routes take hikers through most of the same regions, but one heads to the north while the other skates through the southern portion of the Midwest. The northern route takes you through Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska, and the southern goes through Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas, before meeting in Colorado and continuing through the final western states.
